Grade by Grade
Strand B: Problem Solving and Innovating · Wonder, Explore, Build and Create

Show and Tell: Sharing and Thinking About What We Made

B12.4 D25.4 D19.1 A4.1About 20 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can show what I made and tell how I made it.
  • I can tell what was tricky and how I solved it.
  • I can say what I am proud of and what I would change next time.
  • I can record my work with a drawing, a photo, or words my grown-up writes.
  • I can listen to others and say something kind about their work.

Words to know

share
To show and tell others about something.
explain
To tell how or why, so others understand.
reflect
To think back about what you did and what you learned.
proud
A happy feeling about something you worked hard on.
record
To save what happened with a drawing, photo, words or a chart.
feedback
Kind and helpful words about someone's work.

Show and tell time!

(Grown-up: read aloud.)

You have wondered, explored, built and created so many things! Now it's time to share them.

When scientists, builders and artists finish their work, they show it to others and tell what they did and what they learned.

A table with a cardboard box robot, small clay animals and a painting of a sun and flowers.
Children made these things: a box robot, clay animals and a painting. What would you say about something you made? AI-generated image

Four things to tell

When you share, you can use these sentence starters. Hold up one finger for each:

  1. ☝️ "I made..." (What is it?)
  2. ✌️ "I used..." (What materials or tools?)
  3. 🤟 "The tricky part was... so I..." (What problem did you solve?)
  4. 🖐️ "I am proud of... Next time I will..." (How do you feel? What would you change?)
1I made...What is it?2I used...Materials?3The trickypart was...so I...A problem4I am proudof... Nexttime I will...How I feel
The four things to tell, one for each finger. Grown-up: point to each box as your child shares.
Worked example

Let's share a tower together

Maya built a block tower. Listen to how she shares it.

  1. "I made a tall tower for my toy dinosaur."
  2. "I used wooden blocks and a paper cup on top."
  3. "The tricky part was that it fell down two times. So I put the big blocks on the bottom, and then it stayed up."
  4. "I am proud that it is taller than my teddy. Next time I will try to make a bridge for the dinosaur too."

Maya told what she made, what she used, what problem she solved, and what she would do next. That is a great share!

Saving our work

We can record our work so we remember it:

  • 🖍️ Draw a picture of it.
  • 📷 Ask a grown-up to take a photo.
  • ✏️ Ask a grown-up to write your words, or write some letters yourself.
  • 📊 Make a simple chart, like our sink-or-float chart with ✓ and ✗.

Be a kind audience

When someone else shares, be a great listener: look at them, stay quiet, and wait for your turn.

Then say something kind and helpful:

  • "I like..." ("I like the bright colours.")
  • "I wonder..." ("I wonder how you made it stand up?")
I shareI listen, then say...I like the sun!I wonder how youdrew the rays?
A kind audience listens first. Then they say one "I like..." and one "I wonder...".
Kind words ✅Not kind words ❌
"I like how tall it is!""That's ugly."
"I wonder how you made that green colour?""Mine is better."
"You worked really hard!"Laughing at someone's work
Kind feedback helps everyone feel proud and want to try again.
Hands-on activity

Family museum

You need: 2 or 3 things you made (a drawing, a building, a play dough animal, a shaker), paper, and crayons.

  1. Choose your favourite creations. Set them up on a table like a museum. 🏛️
  2. Make a little sign for each one. Draw a picture, and your grown-up can help you write the name.
  3. Invite your family to visit your museum. For each thing, tell the four things: I made... I used... The tricky part was... I am proud of...
  4. Visitors say one "I like..." and one "I wonder...".
  5. Ask your grown-up to take a photo of your museum to remember it.
Just for fun

Why did the crayon get a big clap at show and tell?

Because its picture looked sharp! 🖍️

Your turn

1

Show something you made this week. Tell: "I made..."

2

Tell what materials you used to make it.

3

Tell one tricky part and what you did about it.

4

Finish this: "I am proud of ..."

5

Your friend shows you a painting. Say one kind thing.

6

Name 2 ways to record (save) your work so you remember it.

More practice: warm-up

1

When someone is sharing, should you talk or listen?

2

Is "That's ugly" a kind thing to say?

3

What can a grown-up do with a 📷 camera to help save your work?

4

Say: "I made a ..." about something you drew today or this week.

5

How do you feel when you finish something you worked hard on?

More practice: on your own

1

Finish this: "Next time I will..."

2

Ask an "I wonder" question about something your grown-up made (like supper or a drawing).

3

Tell your grown-up about your sink-or-float test (or another test). What happened?

4

Draw a picture of something you built. Tell your grown-up a sentence to write under it.

5

Why is it good to share what we learned?

Challenge

1

Tell the story of how you made something, in order: first, next, last.

2

Your bridge fell down during your share. 😮 What could you say?

3

Your friend made a drawing that is very different from yours. Is one of them wrong? Why?

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

Which is a good way to start sharing your work?

2.

When a friend is sharing, you should...

3.

Which is kind feedback?

4.

How can you record your work so you remember it?

5.

Your tower fell during your share. What is a good thing to say?

For parents and teachers

What this lesson is about. Children communicate the results of their explorations, explain how they made things, represent their learning (drawings, photos, words, simple charts), talk about their thinking, and show pride in their work as artists and builders. Listening and giving kind feedback also support social learning.

How to help at home:

  • Ask open questions: "Tell me about it." "How did you make it?" "What was tricky?" "What would you change?"
  • Write down your child's words exactly as they say them. Read them back together.
  • Keep a simple portfolio: a folder or phone album of photos and drawings. Look through it together now and then and notice how they have grown.
  • Model reflecting on your own work: "My bread was too flat. Next time I'll let it rise longer."

Common difficulties:

  • Young children may only say "I made a tower" and stop. Use the four sentence starters and gentle prompts.
  • Some children are shy about sharing in front of others. Let them share with one person, or with a stuffed animal audience, first.
  • Children may say unkind things without meaning to. Teach the "I like... I wonder..." frame and practise it together.